The Conference included introductions, training in NIMS IS100a and dinner.

SEUMRC membership has climbed to 15 volunteers, more than double the number of people who comprised the group one year ago.

At the conference, SEUMRC volunteers met with partners from the Emery County Sheriff's Office, citizen corps council and Southeastern Utah Health District at Cottonwood Elementary School's computer lab to complete the IS100a course. The introduction to the incident command system is required for NIMS compliance, according to the local public health department.

The training prepares volunteers to know how and where they fit in when called out for an emergency and helps the members contribute unique skills in a disaster, indicated the health district.

Successful completion of IS100a is required for an MRC volunteer to be deployed and serve in a declared public health emergency.

In addition to the volunteers and partners, the community leaders required to take the course include city and county officials, tribal leaders, law enforcement, fire personnel and emergency medical responders.

While most emergency situations are handled locally, assistance from outside jurisdictions, state agencies and the federal government may be need when a major incident occurs, pointed out the public health departmentÂ .

The National Incident Management System provides a consistent nationwide template for federal, state, tribal and local governments along with the private sector and non-governmental organizations to work jointly, effectively and efficiently, continued the public health department.

The NIMS program is designed to prepare for, prevent, respond to and recover from domestic incidents, regardless of cause, size or complexity, including acts of catastrophic terrorism.

NIMS ICS has been used for planned events, natural disasters and acts of terrorism, noted the public health department.

ICS was developed after studying more than 30 years of emergency and non-emergency applications by all levels of government and in the private sector. The program utilizes the best practices identified during the development process.

ICS was utilized in last year's Crandall Canyon incident, indicated the public health department.

However, the medical reserve corps is not limited to emergencies situations.

In fact, ICS was used to manage security at the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

For information on volunteering to participated in the emergency preparedness effort, interested Carbon County residents may contact Cynthia Grant, MRC coordinator, at 435-748-2997.

Both medical and non-medical volunteers are needed to support Castle Valley's first emergency responders, concluded the public health department.